


The Fine Print

by Laimelde



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, but you can read it as pre-Steve/Maria if you want, friendship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 08:12:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2184348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laimelde/pseuds/Laimelde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve always reads the fine print, even if Tony laughs at him for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fine Print

Steve always reads the fine print.

Stark laughs at him for it, clapping Steve’s shoulder as he breezes past, thrusting his signed paperwork at Lieutenant Hill and heading for the bar across the room. The non-disclosure agreements are needed ahead of a new aircraft demonstration on the helicarrier. Finding four of her targets preparing for an afternoon of movies made Hill’s trip to Stark Tower more convenient, and Agents Romanoff and Barton hand their forms over moments later.

"Sorry," Steve says as the Lieutenant waits.

"It’s fine." She doesn’t smile, but neither does she show any sign of impatience, even though everyone else had signed without even glancing at the pages of tiny writing. "It’s the sensible thing to do. More people should read what they’re signing."

"If a man was to read all the terms and conditions he is presented with, it would take seven years of his life. I have better things to do," Stark announces.

"You just made that number up," says Romanoff.

"Nope, it was worked out by a study done last year."

"They do studies on people reading terms and conditions?" Steve is never going to read through all of it if he keeps being distracted by the conversation.

Barton collapses onto the couch beside him, beer in hand. “I’m with you, Cap, that’s a ridiculous thing to study. Anyway, it’s always the same stuff. You’ve read one, you’ve read ‘em all.”

"Not in my experience," he mutters.

"No?"

"No." Steve gives up all pretence of trying to read and waves the pages at the people lounging around the room. "This is completely different to the paperwork that came with the new refrigerator I bought a month back. Or the contract for the phone line they installed at my apartment.”

“I’m pretty sure they had detailed contracts in my father’s day,” Stark frowns.

“What about cinema tickets? Even they have tiny writing on the back and it’s different again. _Everything_ has strict conditions now and I don’t know how you all think it’s okay to just sign without knowing what you’re agreeing to.”

There's a pause before Romanoff says "Rogers makes a good point," to the room in general, and Barton dips his head in acknowledgement.

Stark leans on the bar, glass in hand. “I’m still not going to read it. If I sign anything I shouldn’t, Pepper will fix it.”

"Not everyone has that luxury,” Romanoff replies.

"Still, it’ll take him all afternoon to read that, and I’m sure the Lieutenant has other things to do."

Steve’s heart sinks, because Stark is right – obviously Lieutenant Hill has other things to do. Besides, he’s probably worrying too much. Making a mountain out a molehill. Everyone else signed it, so why shouldn’t he?

"You’re right, it’s fine." He flicks through to the last page and finds his pen, only to be stopped by a hand blocking the page from view. He looks up to find Lieutenant Hill standing right beside him.

"Don’t sign anything you don’t want to, Captain," she says.

He shakes his head. “I don’t want to cause you any problems.”

She gives him a small, tight smile. “You’re not. The demonstration isn’t until the end of the week. If you want to keep this overnight and get it back to me tomorrow, that’s fine.”

He smiles gratefully. “That would be great. Thank you.”

"It’s no trouble. Don’t let these guys bully you into anything you’re not comfortable with," she says, sending a warning look at the rest of the room. "They’ve become indolent, since these bureaucratic nightmares are attached to everything they do. If you want to know what the fine print says, you have every right to read it. That's the whole point of signing, after all."

He nods, trying not to duck his head in embarrassment. Hill shuffles the rest of the documents into a tidy bundle and tucks them into a folder. “Thank you gentlemen; Agent Romanoff. Captain, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Steve reckoned it was worth the teasing and catcalls from the others after she left, for the pleasure of knowing he had a friend in Lieutenant Hill.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Standalone scene, no continuation planned. The title was the prompt. Originally posted on tumblr.


End file.
